Keiley McDanford
Keiley McDanford (Born June 28, Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish, Muggleborn witch currently employed by the Ministry of Magic as a Hit Witch. Background Keiley is the eldest child of Kristopher McDanford and Elena Dungan. She has two younger brothers, Kevin and Ian, who were born two years after her. Keiley spent the first eleven years of her life living on the family farm in Cunard, Co. Dublin, Ireland. She attended a muggle primary school before she received her Hogwarts letter. While she was at her first year at Hogwarts, her family moved to Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland and began living with her grandmother. While she was in her second year at Hogwarts, her brother, Ian, received his Hogwarts letter and joined her at Hogwarts during her third year. The summer following that year, her mother and Kevin left the family and moved to Dun Laoghaire. A divorce between her mother and father was finalized later that year, and Keiley has not spoken to her mother since then. Family Parents Keiley is the eldest child of Muggle parents, Kristopher and Elena. The two married and settled down in Cunard, where Kristopher took over a branch of McDanford Farm Co-Op, a business which had been in the family for several generations. Whereas Kristopher took a very hands-on approach with the business, preferring to be out in the fields working with everyone, Elena handled the logistics aspect. She took care of finances and any other aspect of the business that Kristopher didn't handle. When the family moved to Drogheda, Kristopher took over that branch of the family business, and Elena continued to handle the logistical aspect of the business. When she left the family and moved back to her hometown of Dun Laoghaire, Elena opened a bookstore which she still owns and operates. Keiley was always closer to her father than she was to her mother, and her mother's leaving the family only increased the distance between the two family members. Siblings Ian and Kevin McDanford were both born on February 4 two years after Keiley was born. Keiley was never especially close to her brothers, as they were usually caught up in their own activities. When Ian joined Keiley at Hogwarts, Keiley took on more of a guardian role. After Kevin left the family with her mother, Keiley did not attempt to resume contact with him. Keiley did not speak with Kevin for almost two decades. However, when his daughter received his Hogwarts letter, Keiley warily opened up communication with him once more. While Keiley does not enjoy as close a relationship with Kevin as she used to (or as Ian currently does), she is comfortable admitting that their relationship as siblings is on the mend. Keiley and Ian grew rather close during their years at Hogwarts, especially when Ian joined Keiley on the Quidditch team. Keiley was incredibly protective of her brother, and still is to this day, much to his resentment. When Keiley graduated and moved to London, they two siblings began to drift apart. As Keiley progressed in her career at the Ministry as an Investigator, she began to rely on her brother as a Healer-On-Call of sorts, preferring to go to his flat whenever she got hexed or injured on the job over going to St. Mungo's. Despite this, the rift between the two siblings increased when she moved back to Drogheda and did not speak to Ian for roughly five years. The next time they spoke, Ian and Keiley got into a fight. The two siblings did not speak for roughly 3 years. Upon Ian's return to London, the two siblings resumed contact, and now enjoy a close relationship. Niece Aislin McDanford was born on June 6th in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. Until recently, Keiley was unaware of her niece's existence. While she was initially very wary of helping Aislin, Keiley eventually warmed up to the idea of having a niece (though she is still a bit upset that Kevin hid the fact that he had a daughter from her for so long, despite their original lack of communication). Along with Ian, Keiley assisted Aislin in getting her Hogwarts supplies and later saw her off at Platform 9 3/4. Keiley is incredibly proud of her niece, even if she doesn't say it aloud. Hogwarts Years Keiley arrived at Hogwarts eager to learn about the Wizarding World. She was sorted into Hufflepuff, and quickly developed a love for Defense Against the Dark Arts and flying. Keiley also showed an early aptitude for Transfiguration and History of Magic, though she had difficulties with Potions and Astronomy. During her second year, she joined the Hufflepuff Quidditch team as the Seeker. Aside from being on the Quidditch team, Keiley quickly developed a reputation for being defensive about her blood status and family. On more than one occasion, she served detention for hexing or getting into a physical fight with someone who offended her. These detentions only increased after her brother joined her at school. During her fifth year, Keiley sat her OWLs and made rather high scores on them. Later, in her sixth year, Keiley became the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. She devoted a lot of her time to training the team over the next two years. During the same two years, Keiley also focused heavily on her studies, earning high scores on her NEWTs. While she was at Hogwarts, Keiley did not make many close friends. However, she was friends with Alanah Deveroux, whom she still considers a friend to this day. Adult Life Upon graduating from Hogwarts, Keiley moved to Soho, London, and began working for the Ministry of Magic at the age of seventeen. She spent a year as an Investigator-In-Training in the Magical Law Enforcement Squad before becoming a fully-fledged Investigator. This was just the first step in her grand plan to become an Auror, and though she planned on attempting to transfer to the Auror Division after a few years as an Investigator, Keiley ended up remaining on the Investigator Squad for five years. She then quit her job and moved back to Drogheda to take care of her ill grandmother. During this time, she spent most of her time working on the family farm. However, she also had a Private Investigation business for witches and wizards on the side. After her grandmother's death when she was twenty-seven, Keiley moved back to London and began training for the Auror Division. Including her time spent completing training, Keiley worked with the Aurors for several years. During this time she briefly worked on a case with Taylor Green and assisted a bit in his training. Keiley also partnered up with Christian Meadows on a case which did not end as she had hoped it would end. After that case, she listened to the suggestions of a couple of people and took some time off. During this time, she met Trent Barren, and the two made an impromptu trip to Las Vegas (but not after meeting at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and causing a bit of trouble there). When she returned to work, Keiley was placed on desk duty while undergoing the process of being cleared for working in the field again. During this time, she was involved in the Goblin Rebellion which took place. Keiley also became the victim of a Death Eater attack, in which Craig Sophia and Samuel Henshaw broke into her flat (though she does not know the identity of the attackers). After time spent in St. Mungo's Hospital, Keiley eventually returned home, and after a lot of thinking, she decided to transfer to the Hit Wizard Division because she began questioning the effectiveness of the Auror Division, and her role in the MLE. Relationships Romantic Keiley did not have many relationships while she was at school. She dated a few people, but none of the relationships worked out. At her brother's suggestion, she got ice cream with Trent Barren. After a bit of chaos in the ice cream shop which ended with them both cleaning the shop, Keiley agreed to go with Trent on an impromptu trip to Las Vegas. She is not currently seeing anyone. Friends Keiley has many acquaintances, but few close friends. Currently, she views her brother, Ian, and her dogs, Ciaran and Erin, as her two best friends. While she respects and views her boss, Allie Rice, as a friend to an extent, Keiley frequently finds herself butting heads with her boss' husband, James Rice. She also has taken on the role of mentor to Kat Evans, the younger woman managing to see past Keiley's brusque exterior and invoke a strange combination of maternal protection and tough love from Keiley. MP Involvement Keiley interviewed Simon St John after the events at the Rededication Ceremony. She was also present during her brother's interrogation after he was arrested. Later, Keiley was involved in the Goblin Rebellion, as well as the Nights of Fear, and responded to Kings Cross Station after Platform 9 3/4 was attacked. Said About Her "McDanford had shown sense and transferred to the superior department but again had the whole Irish temper thing going on - kinda hot, but not exactly relaxing." '--Eridanus Grey in Witch Hunt' Quotes “Oh, bloody hell, you did not get sloshed the night after Granmum was buried.” '--And I Feel Unsafe' "And they wonder why they get so many cold cases... they've already killed all their suspects!" '--The Value of Honesty' "Being Magic isn't just something you can turn your back on, nor will you ever be able to escape it. You can try your hardest to run away from it, but eventually it'll catch up with you." '--Squeaky Clean' "Guess you're not the only one here who knows how to attack snog, Otter-Boy." '--Las Vegas: Don't Follow That Otter' See also *Talkin' To Myself *Ian McDanford *Aislin McDanford *Gold Pocket Watch Members *Sands of Time Members Category:Bronze Category:Witch Category:Muggleborn Category:Hufflepuff Category:Ministry of Magic Category:OMAdians Category:OMApedia A to Z Category:Writing Challenge Category:Global Plot